For many, January comes as a time of reflection and an opportunity to take a step back to look where the road has led us thus far and how we can make the best of 2018.

I have been blessed to lead Caddo Parish Public Schools for four years and, in that time, continue to take pride in what we have accomplished together as a school system and community.

When I entered this school system as superintendent in December 2013, Caddo was in the midst of a discussion on how to address its long-struggling "F"-rated schools.

Avoiding state takeover, our district has become a state and national model for turnaround. Together, we have seen eight of the original 10 Transformation Zone schools shed their failing status and reduced the number of students our district had in "F"-rated schools by 30 percent.

Additionally, for the first time in Caddo’s history, the district no longer has a single "F"-rated high school in our school system.

While we moved the needle for students in our under-performing schools, our commitment to our students pushed us to provide additional opportunities across the district.

I’m happy to report that while we decreased the number of students attending "F"-rated schools by more than 2,000 students, we simultaneously increased the number of students served in "A"-rated schools in our district by 3,100 students. This means that out of our 40,000 students, nearly a quarter of Caddo’s students are taught in some of the highest rated schools not only in our region but in the state. The best part is that we are just getting started.

This year, we launched the Advanced Placement Capstone coursework. This innovative concept allows students to critically study an area of interest through intensive research and thoughtful analysis. Statewide, five schools offer this rigorous program and Caddo is home to three of those campuses. This opportunity is allowing our students to go further than previously available and to truly explore areas of interest that can benefit the greater good of society as a whole.

Each day our district is privileged with the task of providing individualized opportunities and instruction to our students. 40,000 voices. 40,000 stories. 40,000 opportunities to change the world.

Take senior Sunjay Letchuman as an example. In his time in our district, he has published his first book, was named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist and was the sole student in Louisiana to advance to the semifinalist round in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, where he extensively researched the failure of coronary artery bypass grafts. Letchuman also is one of dozens of students in our district participating in the first classes of the AP Capstone coursework I mentioned earlier and is researching the effects of various states of captivity on animals. All of this and Sunjay isn’t yet old enough to vote.

But Sunjay is far from the only story waiting to be told in our district. Chryshala Dale and Willie Hearod are middle school students who will soon take the National Amazing Shake Competition by storm as Caddo’s two standouts. Both Chryshala and Willie have made names for themselves in our community for their speaking abilities and ways of pairing dynamic debate skills with social etiquette training to make for two forces with which to be reckoned. If you haven’t yet heard of Chryshala and Willie, you will!

I am proud of our district for going the extra mile to partner with community organizations and provide opportunities such as the Amazing Shake to scholars regardless of socioeconomics. You see, our school system can do a great many things in collaboration with parents and our community, but the best task we have before us is to foster our future leaders and provide hope for our students and families.

After all, Caddo is more than a school system. We are the cornerstone of Caddo Parish, and we are excited for the difference we will make this year and in the years to come.